Interview and a giveaway with Jill Elizabeth Nelson!

Let's welcome author Jill Elizabeth Nelson! Leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of her new book!

Tell us a little about yourself and your newest book.

Since grade-school age, I’ve been writing as a creative hobby outside of the classroom in one form or another—poetry, short stories, articles, essays. Becoming a published novelist was always my dream, but many times it felt foolish to believe I might actually succeed. In fact, the dream died for many years, especially when my four children were growing up. As they began to need my attention less, God relit the writing fire within me. Within a few years after that, I received my first novel contract. I was so excited! Still am.

That was in 2005, and my newest release, Rocky Mountain Sabotage, is my fourteenth novel with a mainstream, royalty-paying publisher. I’ve also self-published a couple of books on the craft of writing. Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View is on the popular topic of writing in deep POV, which is a skill my very first editor taught me to master. The Art of the Edit lays out some editing techniques that I’ve found valuable over the years.

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

In Rocky Mountain Sabotage, my heroine is a newly minted physician’s assistant named Lauren Carter. Aside from her career, which is all about helping others, she is strong and courageous and a keen judge of character. Her insights into people play a key role in keeping her and her fellow passengers alive under intensely challenging circumstances. The crash landing of the charter jet, in which she and her mother are passengers, and the harsh environment of the abandoned Rocky Mountain mining town provide her with a number of patients who need every bit of her medical expertise, improvised without the amenities of a modern hospital.

Abandoned by her father at a tender age, Lauren sees in the hero, Kent Garland, the sort of man her father never was. However, she is reluctant to trust any man with her heart—even the ex-Special Forces pilot who successfully landed the sabotaged plane and now seems committed to sticking around, doing anything he can to ensure everyone’s survival.

What are you working on at the moment?

I just finished the manuscript for a book that is scheduled to release in January 2018, entitled Duty to Defend. I’m excited about the story because it explores a difficult but important topic for awareness and discussion—Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Hopefully, you dear Suspense Sisters will invite me back for an interview about that book at the end of the year. Bless you for hosting me for Rocky Mountain Sabotage!

What is the hardest thing about writing?

“How do you come up with your ideas?” is one of the most frequent questions I hear from people. I’m not sure I can give a scientifically precise answer. Ideas pop out at me all over the place—from people-watching, ordinary excursions to the grocery store, overheard conversations, newspaper or magazine articles, new interests and hobbies, etc.

I think a person has to have a certain type of brain to process these mundane facets of life into the stuff of suspense novels. Apparently, I have that sort of brain. So, getting the ideas is not the difficulty; it’s choosing which one to develop at any given time. Right now, I’m sifting through a bunch of different title and story ideas in order to develop my next book proposal for my publisher. Pray for me!

What is the easiest thing about writing?

 Getting to do what I’ve dreamed of doing all my life, rather than clocking in at a day job.


Anything else you'd like to share.


I’m going to be a grandma again! Just found out today. Our youngest is expecting her third child. “Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.” Psalm 127:3 (NLT) Grandchildren are like a reward from a reward!



BIO:

Award-winning author and writing teacher, Jill Elizabeth Nelson, writes what she likes to read—tales of adventure seasoned with romance, humor, and faith. Jill enjoys speaking at conferences, writer’s groups, library associations, civic and church groups. She delights to bring the “Ahah! Moment” to students as they make new skills their own. Her bestselling handbook for writers, Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View, is available at http://amzn.to/IvQTkj. Visit Jill on the web at: www.jillelizabethnelson.com or look her up on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/JillElizabethNelson.Author.